Does anyone have a "Save a Lot"

[Apple]

I just found out that my town is supposed to be getting one fairly soon. Anyone know if they're any good?
I miss Albertson's I used to be able to do pretty much all my grocery shopping there, but now I have to split it between 3 stores to get the best deals (one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

[Value Buy]

Jan 15, 2011 1:42:45 GMT -5 Apple said:

I just found out that my town is supposed to be getting one fairly soon. Anyone know if they're any good?
I miss Albertson's I used to be able to do pretty much all my grocery shopping there, but now I have to split it between 3 stores to get the best deals (one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

Some are better than others.
Some of the franchised ones seem to be rather "weak" in their presentation to the public.

They kind of remind me of Aldi's when they first entered the market-very limited assortment, no name brands.

[daisylu]

It is pretty similar to Aldi's. Our Sav-A-Lot has all kinds of name brands - as well as generic brands. Last week I got 5 6packs of MtDew for $10.00. Hubby lives on it.

Their meat has always been good and fresh, and they carry a LOT of fresh produce. I have not tried much of their frozen items though.

[chiver78]

Jan 15, 2011 1:42:45 GMT -5 Apple said:

(one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

excuse me?

[Frugal Nurse]

All the Sav-a-Lots I have ever been into smell like urine. I walk in, get a whiff, and walk right back out. I like Aldi's a lot better for the cheap-food market, although I can usually get better prices shopping sales/coupons.

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 15, 2011 7:30:37 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Jan 15, 2011 1:42:45 GMT -5 Apple said:

(one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

excuse me?

Haha. "used food" is food that is at its expiration date! Still not very appealing.

[chiver78]

Jan 15, 2011 8:44:31 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Jan 15, 2011 7:30:37 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

excuse me?

Haha. "used food" is food that is at its expiration date! Still not very appealing.

you're right, not very appealing. although, I suppose if you're in dire straits enough to only be able to afford to buy what you're eating that day it's not a problem. you'd be cooking it that day anyway.

someone else said they had "fresh meat and produce" though. how does that work if everything else is at it's expiration date?

[bobbysgirl]

Jan 15, 2011 8:43:31 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

All the Sav-a-Lots I have ever been into smell like urine. I walk in, get a whiff, and walk right back out. I like Aldi's a lot better for the cheap-food market, although I can usually get better prices shopping sales/coupons.

LOL. Only a nurse would call it urine! ;D You brought a smile to my heart today.

[bobbysgirl]

We have a nice Save A Lot. It's clean and neat, too. It has brand names and generic. The eggs are cheaper and the milk is more expensive. They raised the price on dog cookies by 30 cents last week. What ever happened to raising prices by .03 cents? I see them as following the chain stores' guidelines. Not a happy girl about that. I went to Aldi's and got dog cookies for 99 cents. As it should be.

[constanz22]

We are supposed to be getting one too. Although, it was supposed to be opened by fall and they haven't even started it yet...it is going in a "not nice" part of town that has been without a grocery store for YEARS, so, I'm sure ours will quickly fall into the "urine smelling" category. I checked out their website when I heard we were getting one to see if they have name brand items and accept coupons. Yes to both, which is good. It will be close/convenient to work, so, it may be a viable alternative for me, depending on how they keep it up. I think we used to have a couple, many, many years ago, but they went out of business.

[Value Buy]

Jan 15, 2011 10:18:21 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

We are supposed to be getting one too. Although, it was supposed to be opened by fall and they haven't even started it yet...it is going in a "not nice" part of town that has been without a grocery store for YEARS, so, I'm sure ours will quickly fall into the "urine smelling" category. I checked out their website when I heard we were getting one to see if they have name brand items and accept coupons. Yes to both, which is good. It will be close/convenient to work, so, it may be a viable alternative for me, depending on how they keep it up. I think we used to have a couple, many, many years ago, but they went out of business.

Wow, at "smart spending" we are allowed to talk about urine and bad parts of town, and no one has labeled you as a Tea Party card carrying Republican.
I might like it here
Ten years ago, I looked at their franchise. Too many limitations on what could be brought in to sell, from the DSD side of the business-pop, chips, pizzas, etc.
As far as being in a bad part of town, I would not look for one on the corrrect side of the tracks-theirmarket demographic is the middle-low income market.

[Martivir]

We have one a few streets over. On the right side of the tracks as well . I haven't been yet since DH is a Wegman's man and does all the grocery shopping. There is also one in the city. I do remember going to the one that closed years ago with my aunt. It wasn't too bad. It had the pervasive smell of the highway that ran right behind it rather than urine. We didn't have one for years then they brought it back.

As for other discount grocery stores we have a Price Rite down the street, and Aldi's seems to be following the path of Starbucks. I remember when we just had the one. It smelled funky and the produce and meat stunk. Sometimes literally. Now we have several within a 10 minute drive( before it was a monthly trip because it was 45 minutes away) and they are much cleaner and nicer than the original.

[Apple]

Jan 15, 2011 8:44:31 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Jan 15, 2011 7:30:37 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

excuse me?

Haha. "used food" is food that is at its expiration date! Still not very appealing.

LOL. That's what I call our grocery outlet, and the franz outlet is the used bread store.

Most of the stuff ours carries is NOT expired or even close, it's more like an "outlet" store. If a company changes the design on their box then the old boxes go to the "used food store". Seasonal stuff that "normal" stores pull from the shelf the second the season is over, even though the sell by date is two years from now. Brands that aren't common to our area are sold there too, I found a natural peanut butter once (smucker's or Laura something maybe? Can't remember but the brand was pretty famous, just never seen peanut butter made by them). A coworker asked me how I found it because it had been rated #1 peanut butter in a magazine, but it was not sold in any western states. I got two huge jars for less than $4.
I'll also see store brands for stores that we don't have here (like soup king or soup lion or something like that--I saw one in Virginia when I was there, but we don't have them here).
So, you do find some really great stuff, but some not-so-great too. The price almost always beats the grocery store.

So, since I've never seen an Aldi's either, that comparison doesn't "work" for me--do they always carry the same stuff like a regular grocery store?

Does Save a Lot have their own store brand, and if so, is it any good?

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2011 1:42:45 GMT -5 Apple said:

I just found out that my town is supposed to be getting one fairly soon. Anyone know if they're any good?
I miss Albertson's I used to be able to do pretty much all my grocery shopping there, but now I have to split it between 3 stores to get the best deals (one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

The ones in my area are horrible. No people skills what so ever!

[NastyWoman]

Jan 15, 2011 7:30:37 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Jan 15, 2011 1:42:45 GMT -5 Apple said:

(one of them is a used food store so you never know what they'll have from week to week).

excuse me?

My thoughts exactly. What in the heck is a used foods store?

[Apple]

Jan 15, 2011 13:19:20 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Jan 15, 2011 7:30:37 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

excuse me?

My thoughts exactly. What in the heck is a used foods store?

Answer in post 12... It's just what I call Grocery Outlet.

[WholeLottaNothin]

I used to work at a Save a Lot when I was in high school. As far as the customer service goes, at that time anyway they paid minimum wage so it may be a case of you get what you pay for.

The food at the one I worked at was not expired but, like someone else said a different box design, seasonal, etc and the food was sent to the store.

I haven't gone there much since I quit but it is best to be avoided in the beginning of the month. Working there, that time was a nightmare.

[Apple]

The food at the one I worked at was not expired but, like someone else said a different box design, seasonal, etc and the food was sent to the store.

That might be a good thing for me since it's only a couple doors down from GO. Competition isn't always a bad thing. Since Albertson's has gone away Fred Meyer and Safeway have raised their prices since there is only one other store to compete with. Both are pretty expensive.

[dancinmama]

Jan 15, 2011 13:46:30 GMT -5 Apple said:

The food at the one I worked at was not expired but, like someone else said a different box design, seasonal, etc and the food was sent to the store.

That might be a good thing for me since it's only a couple doors down from GO. Competition isn't always a bad thing. Since Albertson's has gone away Fred Meyer and Safeway have raised their prices since there is only one other store to compete with. Both are pretty expensive.

I totally agree that competition is a good thing. All I have is one Safeway and one Nob Hill (Raley's/Bel Air) and the prices are high. We do have a Grocery Outlet, but it recently relocated so the foods are all "new" and are just as expensive as sales prices in the regular grocery stores and they don't take coupons!! Maybe after some time passes, we'll be able to get good deals there like bread and butter pickles for $.25/jar.

[Apple]

I got a bunch of bleu cheese at the used food store (aka, Grocery Outlet) last week. Name brand, doesn't expire for a very long time, and it's freezable. $1.50 a pound--can't find that anywhere! I've found Planter's spiced nuts and chocolate covered nuts for $.25 a jar, I wish I would have bought more they were so good.

[Becks]

We had a Save A Lot here for about 10 years, but it closed just before the holidays. It was in the "old" part of town and somewhat out of the way. Regardless I was able to find numerous brand name items as well as off brands that were basically the same thing. If you're cooking with Sandra Lee it's about perfect! Due to it's location in a more Hispanic area, they often had good deals on items such as avocados, cilantro, peppers and other produce. If you are a savvy shopper, which apple I suspect you are, you can determine what's a good deal and what's not.

[Sam_2.0]

Save-A-Lot is similar to Aldi. The store carries mainly their brand, but does feature special buys of name-brand items (usually in the first aisle when you walk in the store). There is not a large selection - they might sell mustard & ketchup, but in one size/brand only (instead of 12 different kinds & various sizes).

At most of these stores, you have to take $.25 to "rent" the shopping cart. That's to make sure you return it to the cart corral before you leave, since the stores are usually minimally staffed.

Most stores will charge for bags ($.03 for plastic, $.05 for paper, $.10 for large reusable plastic), or you can bring your own, or pick up boxes as you go through the store.

The stores are stocked warehouse style. Items are in boxes placed on shelves, and the front/top of the box is open so you can grab out the desired item.

Meat & produce are good at some stores, and horrible at others. The store I go to is good most of the time, but I like to go on the days when they get in trucks (just ask the manager & they will tell you).

When checking out, its like Aldi. There is a cart at the end that the cashier pushes all your items into (some are nice & stack them, some just shove). If you rented a cart, then you swap out your empty cart for the full one at the end of the transaction. If you didn't rent a cart, be prepared to pick up your items quickly when you are finished checking out, so that they don't start throwing the next person's items into the cart too. If you have a box, place it in the cart for your items to be put in. There's a bagging area with a table just beyond the checkout so you can get your items ready to go home.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I've not shopped at a a Save A Lot.... if there's one in my city, it's not anywhere near where I live. (But I live in a town of 500,000 people and the town is rather spread out.)

[daisylu]

few months ago there was a different store that was selling boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.39/lb. I bought a bunch of those and it ended up being a total rip off. The meat must have been pumped full of liquid because when I cooked the chicken breasts, they shrank into little pieces

I had the same experience recently. I usually buy Holly Farms tenderloins, but the Tyson was on sale. They shrank to about half their original size when cooked.

[Deleted]

I lock the doors when I drive though in the neighborhood where the save a lot is near me.

[Deleted]

I have a Save_A-Lot within walking distance. It is clean, the produce and meat are good quality, the staff is very helpful. I save a little, but probably not a great deal. You do have to bag your own groceries, but they provide plastic bags and empty boxes. They have mostly off brands, but some brand names. I have always been satisfied when shopping there.

[museumgal]

We have one that's clean and well kept, I think it must just vary by area.

Like the others have said it's like Aldi's, but I get different things at each store. Save-a-lot seems to have better produce and meat, so I get those things there. Aldi's I get pantry goods and dairy products.

The one thing I can't get at either store is bread. It just doesn't ever seem fresh enough for me.

[Apple]

Our store just opened! So far it looks like on most things Grocery Outlet is cheaper as well as things on sale at the regular store, but I think Save-a-lot will be my new go-to place for milk and eggs. Milk is $1.99 a gallon there (the next lowest is $2.50 and you have to buy two gallons to get that price) and eggs are $1.59, only that cheap at other places when on a really good sale which isn't near often enough. I didn't get a chance to check out the meat and produce much since I was in a hurry, but they had something like "pick 4 (or 5?) for $20" in the meat department, I'll have to look at it and see if it is a good deal or if I'm better off checking sales.

Our store has a lot of open space, is clean, and they bag the groceries for you. Since it's a small town, all the shopping is pretty much concentrated to two blocks so none of the stores are out of the way, I just make a circle when I go shopping. We'll see how it holds up.

[marvholly]

Save A Lot is just coming into metro Chicago and none in my shopping area. If they ever get near me I will check them out. Competition is good.

Personally, I think Aldi produce prices and quatity leave a GREAT deal to be desired compared to my independent fruit/veg markets. Also the meat is WAAY below the quality I can/do get at my natl chains and independents and the $ is not a GREAT savings to compensate.